Kumamoto Kenmin Televisions

On December 15, 1978, the prefecture got an allocation for a third commercial television station; by March 1979, 40 companies had solicited their license. The initial basic policy was to have the bid "centered on local businesses" and to "operate as a multi-network station". After a meeting between Nippon TV, Fuji TV and TV Asahi, it was decided that the third station in Kumamoto (KKT) would join NNN-NNS and the third station in Kagoshima (KKB) would join ANN. On November 26, 1981, Kumamoto Kenmin Television, Co., Ltd. was established. The station entered its test phase on March 27, 1982, from 6am to midnight. During this period, the station's slogan and jingle Kyou Atsuku Life (きょう火くライブ) was introduced. On April 1, regular broadcasts began, becoming the 98th commercial television station overall to launch (callsign JOQI-TV). At the same time, relay stations were established in Takamori (later Minami-Aso), Hitoyoshi, Kawaura, Ushifuka and Minamata. The Aso, Aso-Kita, Oguni and Yabe relay stations were expected to be operational at launching time, but were delayed by one month. Initially it broadcast from a provisional building at the East Building of the Tsuruya Department Store, but moved to new premises in July, at Sean-cho. On December 1, 2006, digital broadcasts began; analog broadcasts ended on July 24, 2011. Broadcasts from its new premises at Oe 2-chome, Chuo Ward, Kumamoto City, began on November 14, 2016.